Sight for firearms.



a... a... w th l &3 S.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SIGHT FOR FIREARMS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 28, 1913.

Application filed June 7, 1909. Serial No. 500,757.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ROBERT A. G. GALE, of the town of Paris, in the Province of Ontario and Dominion of Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sights for Firearms, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in sights for firearms and the object is to provide an illuminated sight which will be visible at night and at the same time will not dazzle the shooter nor throw enough light to betray the shooters position to any person or animal standing to either side or in front of the shooter. To accomplish this object I provide a pair of sights located, one at the front and one at the rear end of the barrel of the firearm. A short section of wire of high electrical resistance is located in each sight and suitably protected. These illuminating wires are connected with a small battery located at any convenient point on the fire-arm. A circuit breaker is also included in the circuit whereby the sights may be illuminated or darkened at will.

In the drawings which illustrate my inventionz-Figure 1 is a side view of a rifle showing the application of my invention thereto. Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view on the line 12-13 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a similar view taken on the line 101l of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an elevation of a rear sight showing an alternative arrangement of the illuminating wire. Fig. 5 is an elevation of a front sight corresponding to the rear sight shown in Fig. 4:. Fig. 6 is a much enlarged sectional view showing the arrangement of the illuminating wire. Fig. 7 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of an alternative form of sight. Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7, of a further alternative form. Fig. 9 is a rear elevation of a sight common to Figs. 7 and 8.

In the above defined figures 14. designates the stock of a firearm and 15 the barrel thereof, having thereon front and rear sights 16 and 17 respectively. A small battery 18, which may be either chemical or storage, is located at any suitable point on the arm, preferably in the butt, as indicated in the drawing. An aperture 19 is formed through each sight and within this aperture a small glass tube 20 is mounted in suitable resilient material 21, which may also be an electrical nonconductor. A wire 22 leads from the battery 18 to the front sight, being preferably run through the wood of the stock. This wire 22 passes into the glass tube 20 in the front sight and is attached to a wire or filament 23 of high electrical resistance. The opposite end of the filament is electrically connected to the barrel of the arm. A wire 24 extends between the battery and the rear sight and is connected to one end of the filament therein, the opposite end of the filament being connected to the barrel as previously described in connection with the front sight. A small circuit breaker 25 is inserted in the wire 24 and is adapted to normally maintain an open circuit. The circuit breaker 25 may be located at any part of the arm but the most convenient and practical position is that in which it is shown in the drawings, namely, on the grip portion of the stock where it will come naturally under the shooters right hand as he grasps the stock to place his finger on the trigger. The relation of the filaments in the front and rear sights maybe varied. In Figs. 2 and 3 I have shown the filament of the front sight in a vertical position and the filament of the rear sight in a horizontal position, the sighting point being at the intersection of the two filaments when viewed in the usual manner of sighting a firearm. In Figs. 4 and 5 I have shown the two filaments inclined in opposite directions from the vertical, through equal angles, the sight ing point being as above stated, at the point of intersection. This has the advantage of rapid sighting but the disadvantage that the shooter is more liable to hold the arm out of plumb, which in the case of rifle shooting at long range would throw the bullet wide of the mark.

In Figs. 7 8 and 9 I have shown an alternative form of construction. The sight shown in these figures is of the knifeblade variety and is provided with a slightly enlarged upper edge. In this form I provide a small cylindrical aperture 26 in the upper edge of the sight having located th erein t h e i llu g inatin g glament 20, The open end of the aperture, swam races the shooter, is closed by a small piece of glass 27 which may he colorecl gr pla in, transparent or translucent as desired. In the form shown iEFi'g. 8 the aperture is L- shaped, the filament being located at the bottom thereof. The light from the filament shines upwardly and is directed along the horizontal part of the aperture and through the glass 27 by the reflector 28 located in the angle of the aperture.

It will be understood that the current supplied to the filaments is only of sufficient strength to redden the filaments and render them faintly luminous so that while they are visible ,to the shooter they will not cast any light and will not be visible to any one except the shooter or a person standing directly behind him. This applies also to larger sights adapted for use on light field or naval ordnance.

The operation of the device is very simple, being, in fact, almost automatic. WVhen the shooter raises the firearm to his shoulder to take an aim he grasps it by the small portion of the stock with the thumb and the last three fingers of his right hand, the index finger being hooked around the trigger. The circuit breaker 25 comes naturally under his thumb and in the action of grasping the stock he operates the circuit breaker to close the circuit and illuminate the sights. On the release of the circuit breaker the current is cut off and the sights consequently darkened. In the arrangement shown in Figs. 2 and 5, each sight is virtually a peep sight, although in reality only the rear sights are used as such.

The sight is taken, as previously explained, at the apparent intersection of the filaments. In the alternative forms shown the sights will appear merely as small dull red spots which are brought one under the other and in line with the object aimed at as is the practice in ordinary daylight sightmg.

It will be obvious that various changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention; for instance, by combining the intersecting wires in a single sight such as a telescope or optical sight. The series connections shown and described may be replaced by parallel connections. The front sight alone may be used in conjuction with, or without, any suitable variety of rear sight.

Having thus described my invention what 1. In a night sighting device for guns, the

combination with a gun and a source of electrical energy of a sight block attached to the gun barrel, having a day sighting portion and a separate r igllt glifg'htiiig portion adapted to bereiidered incandescent by a currentfrom said source of energy.

er-In a device of the class described, the combination with a gun and a source of electrical energy of a housing located on the barrel of the gun having a day sighting portion and a separate night sighting portion, consisting ofa filament adapted to be rendered incandescent by current from said source of energy, and a protective covering for said filament.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination with a gun, of an apertured housing located ateach end of the barrel thereof, a transparent tube in each aperture, a filament of high electrical resistance in each tube, said filaments having the appearance of intersecting when the gun is sighted, a source of electrical energy means for establishing an electric circuit between said filaments and the source of energy, and a circuit breaker located in said circuit.

tured housing on each end of the barrel thereof, a transparent tube located in each aperture, said tubes being substantially perpendicular to one another, insulating material supporting said tubes, a filament of high electrical resistancg located in each tiiliej s aid filaments being electrically connected through the gun barrel, a conductor extending from each filament through the stock of the firearm, a sgurce of electrical energy connected to said conductors adapted to supply only suflicient current to heat the filaments @asdllll red heat, and a circuit breaker in one of said conductors.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses. ROBERT A. G. GALE. Vitnesses KATHLEEN OGRADY, GRACE CHISI-IOLM.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

